Question:
I have the 70-300mm Zuiko Digital zoom lens and I find it difficult to hold steady
when it’s zoomed all the way out.

Answer:The 70-300mm Zuiko Digital zoom lens when zoomed out has the
same angle of view as a 600mm lens in the 35mm format. This means the magnification of
the lens is 12x, which will significantly magnify camera shake. If your DSLR has Image
Stabilization, by all means use it at such extreme magnifications. You can also brace
the camera against something solid, or use a tripod.

In field situations, such as wildlife photography, tripods can be cumbersome
and impractical. It is difficult to move through brush and climb when carrying a tripod,
let alone having to haul the extra weight. One lightweight solution for shooting with
long lenses and lenses mounted on teleconverters is the monopod.

A monopod is a telescoping camera support that resembles a tripod leg. It
will have three or four telescoping sections with locks and a ¼-20 thread screw or ball head
on top that screws into the base of the camera or the tripod collar of the lens. Some are
designed so they can also be used as a walking stick. Some monopods also have small legs in
the bottom extension that can pop out and serve as a small tripod to further reduce sway.
The benefit of a monopod is that it reduces camera shake—particularly up and down camera shake.
It also takes the weight of the camera and lens off the photographer’s arms and shoulders.
The weight of a long, fast telephoto can become tiring, especially when staking out wildlife. View example of a monopod.

When the camera and lens are mounted on a monopod, they can be carried over the shoulder, with
the grip of the monopod resting on the shoulder. Therefore it is important that the monopod has
a soft grip for comfort’s sake.